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Day defeats Dubuisson in match play marathon

Jason Day overcame losing the final two holes in regulation, and then two astounding recovery shots by Victor Dubuisson in the playoff holes to win the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship

The bomber from Down Under overcame losing the final two holes in regulation, and then two astounding recovery shots by the Frenchman on the first two extra holes, and ended the match on the 23rd hole with a putt from 3½ feet to win the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain.

Day, 26, who said after winning his quarterfinal match on Saturday that he was "sick and tired" of seconds, thirds and fourths and wanted to win, has lost just one match in the last two years here – to eventual champion Matt Kuchar in last year's semifinals.

"It was a long day in the sun," said Day, whose first Tour title came in the 2010 HP Byron Nelson Championship. "Coming down the stretch, Vic was just unbelievable, especially out of the cactus. There were a couple times I thought he was dead and the tournament was mine. For a 23-year-old kid, he has a lot of game and you'll be hearing from him for a long time."

The best thing about this tournament is that every day is Sunday and you have to handle your nerves."

I had to dig down and keep fighting until it was over."

The match looked over on the 17th hole but Dubuisson made a must-make 13-foot putt for birdie to win the hole. It looked over again on the 18th but Dubuisson got up-and-down from a greenside bunker with a must-make four-footer to send that match to a playoff.

Then Dubuisson, 23, made two outrageous up-and-down saves from the desert on the first two playoff holes to extend the match. On the first playoff hole, Dubuisson airmailed his approach, which landed near a cactus under a bush. He slashed at the ball and the shot to the elevated green stopped within four feet, from where he made the putt.

On the next hole, Dubuisson pulled his approach into the desert and the ball came to rest near rocks and under the remains of a dead bush. Again, he slashed at the ball and somehow it came to rest 10 feet from the cup. The shot left Day laughing and wondering what he had to do to win the match. Day then put his game face back on when Dubuisson made the putt.

After each failed to get up-and-down on the third playoff hole, they made par on the fourth playoff hole. On the fifth and final playoff hole, the drivable par-4 15th, – Dubuisson's short-game magic vanished as he couldn't get up-and-down from the right of the green, missing a 30-foot putt.

Day, who played 113 holes this week, has become a regular contender in major championships – he has six top-10s on his last 11 starts in majors – but desperately wanted win No. 2. Now he said he's better equipped to win a major.

"I never wanted something so bad in my life," said Day, who will move to No. 4 in the world rankings. "I envisioned myself holding the trophy. I just had to do everything I could to win the match.

All these matches are great experience because this is what you are going to get on Sundays of big events. To get this experience is so important for the rest of the year."

Dubuisson, who started making a name for himself on the European Tour with a win in last year's Turkish Airlines Open, toppling Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose in the process, made a name for himself in the U.S. Playing in his first pro match play tournament, he fell just short of becoming the first French-born player to win on the PGA Tour.

But his recent play, four top-5s and a tie for 20th in his last five starts, will move him from No. 139 in the world rankings at the start of 2013 to inside the top-30 on Monday. And he's earned a trip to the Masters.

"I'm a little bit happy but at the same time disappointed," Dubuisson said. "I didn't play very well but I battled."

In the semifinals Sunday morning, Day defeated Rickie Fowler, 3 and 2, while Dubuisson came back from 3 down to defeat Ernie Els, 1 up. Fowler defeated Els In the consolation match with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Both left with confidence emanating from how they putted this week. Fowler, who said he's been comfortable with his new swing he's working on with Butch Harmon despite missing his last three cuts entering the tournament, broke out of a putting slump. Els, using a short putter, made many clutch putts throughout the week.

"I knew my game was in a good position, just hadn't been showing making cuts. It probably looked a lot worse than it did," Fowler said. "It's good to get on a roll and get some momentum built up."